used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "M. de Lourtier, the woman known as the lady with the hatchet is a madwoman."
from appearances alone
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading "M. de Lourtier, the woman known as the lady with the hatchet is a madwoman."
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "But she would be locked up!"
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "But she would be locked up!"
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Nothing could be more treacherous than these creatures.
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading Nothing could be more treacherous than these creatures.
a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading "M. de Lourtier, the woman known as the lady with the hatchet is a madwoman."
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We don't know that she's not.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
half-mad
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
harmlessadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrmləs/
not causing or capable of causing harm
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
hatchetnounUS /ˈhætʃət/
weapon consisting of a fighting ax; used by North American Indians
From this reading "M. de Lourtier, the woman known as the lady with the hatchet is a madwoman."
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
indulgeverbUS /ˌɪnˈdʌldʒ/
give free rein to
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
instinctsnounUS /ˈɪnstɪŋkts/
plural of “instinct” — inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "M. de Lourtier, the woman known as the lady with the hatchet is a madwoman."
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading "We don't know that she's not.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading "M. de Lourtier, the woman known as the lady with the hatchet is a madwoman."
a polite name for any woman
From this reading "M. de Lourtier, the woman known as the lady with the hatchet is a madwoman."
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock
From this reading "But she would be locked up!"
Lourtier
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "M. de Lourtier, the woman known as the lady with the hatchet is a madwoman."
the basic unit of length adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites (approximately 1.094 yards)
From this reading "M. de Lourtier, the woman known as the lady with the hatchet is a madwoman."
madwomannoun
a woman lunatic
From this reading "M. de Lourtier, the woman known as the lady with the hatchet is a madwoman."
manias
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Nothing could be more treacherous than these creatures.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "We don't know that she's not.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Nothing could be more treacherous than these creatures.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
scopenounUS /skoʊp/
an area in which something acts or operates or has power or control: "the range of a supersonic jet"
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "But she would be locked up!"
she's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We don't know that she's not.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Nothing could be more treacherous than these creatures.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "We don't know that she's not.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "M. de Lourtier, the woman known as the lady with the hatchet is a madwoman."
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Nothing could be more treacherous than these creatures.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
treacherousadjectiveUS /ˈtretʃərəs/
dangerously unstable and unpredictable
From this reading Nothing could be more treacherous than these creatures.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "But she would be locked up!"
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "We don't know that she's not.
which person or people
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
wild-beast
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We don't know that she is not one of those half-mad people, apparently harmless, who are watched so slightly that they have full scope to indulge their little manias, their wild-beast instincts.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "M. de Lourtier, the woman known as the lady with the hatchet is a madwoman."
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading "M. de Lourtier, the woman known as the lady with the hatchet is a madwoman."
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading "But she would be locked up!"
